Recipe Time: Warm Mexican Red Lentil Soup

Recipe Time:

As we are into the Fall cold weather, there's nothing like a warm Soups or Stew to warm our bodies.

This is a great Mexican Lentil Soup that is fast to make and OH SO GOOD. It would be a great fast way to have a nice tasting soup to share with friends and family and it doesn't take alot of time to make. But it tastes like you were a genious and slaved on it for a long time.

Here is the Recipe:

Mexican Red Lentil Soup

Place the Following into a large 2 Quart Pan:

4 Cups of Red Lentils

Water: Fill the pan up to within 2 inches of the top of the pan

Stir the lentils and make sure that they aren't sticking to the bottom of the pan. Then you are ok. Put on to boil and then turn down to med temperature and then cook for 25-30 minutes.

After they are soft and done add the following to the Lentils:

1 Can Stewed Mexican Tomatoes. (I like to take my kitchen scissors and put the points down into the can and then begin to cut the tomatoes into small pieces.)

1 Cup of chopped Fresh Celantro

1 tsp Cumin Powder

1 tsp Garlic Powder

2 tsp Onion Powder

2 tsp Sea Salt

1 Can green Chilies (mild)

That's it: Your done and your ready to serve it with your favorite Corn Chips, or lighly fried Corn Tortillas, or your favorite bread. Baked Potatoes and a nice Tossed salad is good to have with the soup as well.

Enjoy!

Hugs, Jan

End of the Week-Contentment

Love this picture!! It's on a card from Leanin Tree. It's called, "Too Pooped to Participate"

by, Charles Wysocki.

Haven't figured out wether this is Contentment or 'Too Pooped to Participate". But which ever it is, perhaps you can identify with the picture.

Is this how you feel at the end of this week?? Hope you have a good rest and can take the time to fellowship with the Lord, and your friends and family. Maybe we can turn the Pooped into contentment and find some joy this week-end.

Find contentment in the present and take each day at a time.

Godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Tim. 6:6

"Here is the secret of Contentment, and Peace, and Happiness: Obedience to the laws of nature and of God." EGW

"May the Lord help you to understand His will and then do it cheerfully. He will give you peace and contentment if you are faithful where you are." EGW

Hugs, Jan

Inspirational Themes Througout Your Home

Ten Commandments
Old Antique Bible
Old Specks
Cole Oil Lantern
Placed on a shelf in our living room.

Eloquent thought placed onto a painting.

Eloquent Thought cards put on the

back of the toilet, for people to take at will.

Eloquent Thought put into a Frame for all to see.

Spiritual Painting throughout the house.

Today is "Beautiful Friday" over at Melissa's Blog "The Inspired Home"

I would like to inspire you to begin adding some Beautiful inspirations to your home that will add to the atmosphere around you.

As you may know from my web page http://www.asonginmyheart.com/ and those who are "My Friends" on Facebook; I love Eloquent Thoughts. And it just doesn't end there. I love to put them into Picture Frames and have them in the bathroom where my guests can take a card with them if they so desire. With the software that is out there, one can make up unique type business sized cards made from the CardStock that you can buy at Walmart or your local Stationery store.

These cards are nice to hand to someone who may be feeling low, or great to hand to your friendly grocery clerk.

I have a thought that I framed and put in my bathroom and I have memorized it because I love it so much. Mind you memorization is hard for me, but with God's grace I was able to memorize this one. Even DH has this one memorized! Just read it when he would use my bathroom.

Here's what it says:

"All the way up the steep road leading to eternal life, there are wellsprings of joy to refresh the weary. Those who walk in wisdoms ways are even in tribulation, exceedingly joyful. For He whom their soul loves , walks invisible beside them. At each upward step they discern more distinctly the touch of His hand. At every step, brighter gleamings of glory from the unseen fall upon their path, and their songs of praise reaching ever a higher note, ascend to reach the songs of Angels before the throne." Gods Amazing Grace, 264

I also have some pictures that are antique of Jesus as our Shepherd and Jesus kneeling in the Garden of Gethsemane. These pictures were given to my Step Father's Mother when He was born, by one of the Nun's in the Hospital, who delivered him. He would have been in his mid 80's by now. I have those hung in various places in our home. Also have a picture of an open bible with a candle to it's side, that hangs above our fireplace in the living room, that you may have seen in one of my posts.

Have a small 10 commandment's "Stand-up" card on a shelf with an antique bible and old speck's on top of it, next to a Cole oil lantern.

As people enter our home they know that we love the Lord and His word. And hopefully they can also tell by our actions too.....

Sayings; Thoughts; Plaques; Pictures; can keep your mind close to the Lord as you are living in your home. They can change your thoughts to think on Heavenly things and keep you close to Jesus. See what you can do to add to the Inspirational Theme of your Home. What you have in your home, says allot about who you are and your personality.

Hugs, Jan

Happy Reminders Throughout Your Home

My Wedding dress:
March 23, 1969

I mentioned on my last post, that I would post some more ways of putting "Happy Reminders" of past events in your home. Now most of these "Reminders", are in the personal area's of our home. ie. our bedroom, my office etc. Places where most people who come to our home, don't even go. lthough it is nice to place nice "Plaque thoughts" throughout your home, to share with those who come to see you.

This one "Happy Reminder" is in our bedroom. It's my Wedding Dress, with a picture of both John's and my parents standing beside us on that happy day. It's nice to look on it and remember the joys of that day and also to remind me at times of my commitment to John.

I thought I would share with your a few paragraphs from the book " The Ministry of Healing".

They say it all. I love especially the part that says that we need to continue the "Early Attentions" that we had, in our marriage.Those encouragements are so good. Even with a marriage that is going on from 40 years. Just because we are older doesn't mean that we don't have to practice those things. Life is always changing and we enter into new experiences together. One doesn't always handle the change in the same as as the other. Oh how we need the grace of God at each state of marriage.

Here are the paragraphs:

Forbearing One Another in Love

Though difficulties, perplexities, and discouragements may arise, let neither husband nor wife harbor the thought that their union is a mistake or a disappointment. Determine to be all that it is possible to be to each other. Continue the early attentions. In every way encourage each other in fighting the battles of life. Study to advance the happiness of each other. Let there be mutual love, mutual forbearance. Then marriage , instead of being the end of love, will be as it were the very beginning of love. The warmth of true friendship, the love that binds heart to heart, is a foretaste of the joys of heaven. Ministry of Healing, page 257

You may want to go and take your wedding dress out of your closet/ box or? and make a little area in your bedroom as I have, to help you to keep the vows vivid in your mind and heart.

Another idea that you may want to do with your wedding dress for 'Happy Reminder's". Make beautiful pillows for your room. Give them to your daughters, grand-daughters or? There's a web page that tells about how this lady made some pillows out of a wedding dress. http://www.theartfulcrafter.com/pillows.html Another company will recreate your dress into a beautiful Christening or baby dedication gown for your baby. See: http://www.christeningbaby.com/weddress.htm

Happy Reminders make your home unique and special to you. Start thinking out of the box and make your home a unique place to live.

Hugs,

Jan

Nostalgia Corner-" FuFu Moment" It's Great being 60

Nostalgia Corner

Remember these "Bisque Black Babies" I loved mine! Next to it is my nursery baby bracelet that says "Erick 1" because I was the first twin born.

Nostalgia Dressing Table with All of my fun memories

Wedding Picture and the Dress that my sister and I wore in a wedding.

Nostalgia Dressing Table - Pictures of my sisters and me

Nostalgia Shelf- 25th Anniversary
(Now 40 years)

In a few posts back, I talked about things that we can do at 60 that we can get away with now. Today's post includes one of those things. I have a little nook in the corner of my bathroom that is mine.... I mean, John doesn't have much to say about what I put into that space. You know all of those things that you have been saving for years and years in boxes? Things that your mom saved for you from when you were a baby... Those things... ie. my baby shoes and socks; bracelet that was on me in the nursery when I was born...; my records that were taken while I was in the hospital at birth; 25th anniversary creamer and pitcher and a picture of John and I during that 25th year; A dress I wore when my twin and I were in a wedding; A picture of my two Sissie's and I...; a woolen scarf that I wore when out playing in the snow as a little girl... the list goes on.

Well, my DH put up a shelf for me and on them I have placed these items on, along with a little make-up table and chair to hold some of these fun things as well. It's my Nostalgia wall and corner. Every time I'm in there, it brings a smile to my heart and brings back allot of memories. It keeps me close to my family and gives me happiness on how God has led me and given me so many happy times in my life. I remember houses that I used to visit that used to have little nick-knack shelves in them. Grandma houses. I have taken on an area in my home that is a "Grandma House"... ( Mind you, Only in a corner of my room) and it's finally ok to do these things. Yeah

I remember one time I was watching Regis and Kathy Lee and they were doing a makeover for a ladies bedroom. They went in and redid her whole room. Showed the before's and after's. One was a Grandma room and the other an elegant new gorgious room. I wander how long it took her to start bringing back in her the special items? It wouldn't have taken me long....

I don't have to make excuses any more. It's me and my life and it's fun being there in this time and place.

I'll post next....A few items that have spilled over into the bedroom.(Oh Dear!) We'll I guess it has gone a little over my Nostalgia area. LOL But that's ok, I just turned 60......

Oh if you're not 60 plus... it's still ok to have a Nostalgia wall. I won't make fun of you....I think it's a great thing to have!

Hugs, Jan

FIRST SNOW! NO ELECTRICITY! LAZY DAY!

Well, we knew we were close to the first snow coming. It happened over night. But... during the night there was heavy trees with wet snow on them and a tree must have fallen across the electrical line.. So about 3am this morning the power went off. They said that there would be power by 11 am. But it didn't come on until 1:30pm. I then fixed lunch and shortly afterwards, the power went off again. Didn't get it until around 6:30 pm or so.

So what do you do without electricity, no water, and no fans on the wood furnace and fireplace? You curl up on the couch and enjoy a lazy day close to the fireplace. Sometimes you need those kind of days. It can be a "Good Thing". So the above pictures will show you the BLACK and WHITE'S of the day outside.

The, sad to see, Beautiful Asters are now covered over with white snow.

They did have their highlight for the year in the post last Friday. So happy I got their pictures before the snow.

No more picnics on the table in the yard for another year and the garden has had it's last carrot and potatoes dug. (Yesterday!) Time for the garden to go to sleep.

I was reminded of a beautiful lesson from the bright whiteness of the snow. God used the lesson in his word. "Though your sins be of scarlett, they shall be as white as snow.... (Isa. 1:18, and Psalms 51:7) Can't get any whiter than that. Praise God for His promises, and the lessons we can glean from the First snow of winter. The ground is covered with pure whiteness and it looks fresh and clean.

I never take for granted my electricity. Something so simple as that; can throw your whole world off.... Sure glad it's back on. And I know that getting our generator fixed, has to be a priority. LOL

Hugs,

Jan

Beautiful Asters- A lesson for us!

Aster's in the Far left corner of the picture

My garden sign says: "Bloom where you're Planted"

Where has the mountain gone?

Today is 'Beautiful Life Friday" at Melissa's Blog- http://www.theinspiredroom.net/.

You can add your blog to MckLinky and show the things that you have found beautiful in your world for this past week.

My "Beautiful Life" amazement this week was when I looked out in my frost bitten and very much "Ready for Snow" yard and saw the Asters in all of their glory. It brought a lesson home to my mind as to what God can do in a Child of the King. When this world is going bad and things look gloomy and dark all around us, we can still shine forth as "God's Children" and be a witness to His love and beauty.

I read a statement from a book called Steps to Christ, that goes like this. "God has bound our hearts to Him by unnumbered tokens in heaven and earth. Through the things of nature, and the deepest and tenderest earthly ties that human hearts can know, He has sought to reveal Himself to us. Yet these but imperfectly represent His love."

STC, pg.9-11

This week, I was able to see God's love through these simple Aster's still showing forth their glory in a world all around them that is giving way to Winter. These precious Asters have been waiting all summer long to show forth their beauty. I may have missed them, if I had stayed inside and and not ventured out in these cold winter days. Perhaps you can glean more lessons then this one, than I was able to pull from this beauty in nature??

I went out and took a few pictures of how we look today. Pretty dreary HUH? Yet the Asters...

Have a great Fall week-end and enjoy the beauty around you that's even there on these dark fall days.

Hugs, Jan

Fruit Sauces- Serves Many Purposes

What do you do with all the fruit you have frozen from your garden this year?

I have frozen up allot of my fruit and this is my favorite way to use it up.

Fruit Sauces are great for many purposes. Their great to layer into Parfaits (fruit sauce layered between, granola and a coconut pudding that I make by thickening up coconut milk with cornstarch and adding a little raw sugar to or honey or maple syrup. Layer them between your pretty Goblet's. People will think that you have slaved away at this dessert. LOL

The fruit sauce is great to put on top of pancakes, waffles or just plain toast. This recipe is simple to do and doesn't contain sugar. So it's guilt free and nutritious.

You can also make a crumble crust in a pie plate and then place the fruit sauce into the pie crust for a yummy pie.

Here is the recipe.

Fruit Sauce

1 Quart Pineapple Juice or Pineapple Juice concentrate with only 2 cans of the water

5 TB Cornstarch dissolved into a cup of the above mixture

Place the Pineapple Juice on the stove to heat and bring it to a boil

Then add the cornstarch ingredients to the above boiling juice

Whip fast until it becomes thickened and has a transparent look to it.

If you feel it needs a little more sweetener you can add some softened dates, Raw Sugar, or Maple Syrup to taste.

Now take any frozen fruit of choice that you have chopped up. Put it into the above thickened Pineapple juice. Stir it around until it becomes the color of the fruit. Don't over stir.

The sauce will take on the flavor of the fruit. It doesn't taste like Pineapple. If you didn't have the opportunity to do up your own fruit, the grocery stores have a great variety in their Frozen Food department.

I would use about 2 lbs/ recipe for your sauces.

Crumble crust for the pie:

1 1/2 cup Whole Oats

1 1/2 cup Grapenut Cereal

1 cup of softened dates (Place a cup of dates into 1/2 cup of water. Boil until soft and then put it into the blender and make it smooth.)

Mix the above ingredients and pat into a margarine greased pie plate. Bake for 12 min. at 350' or lightly brown.

Now you can place your fruit mixture into this pie crust. Let it cool and it's ready to serve.

Hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Hugs,

Jan

Plaque in my flower basket.

I promised you that I would give you a picture that is close up of the little plaque in my flower basket that was in my last post. Well here it is.

Isn't that true? I still feel the same way inside about doing things that little girls like do. It's just that my body is changing. When I turned 60 this summer; it was about the time that I got my new glasses. I saw all of those wrinkles even more clearer. They didn't just all of a sudden appear when I turned 60. I'm sure! What a shock. Why is it that all of a sudden I'm getting Orora's Migrane headaches.???? And I'm feeling pains where I never felt them before?? Still, I'm the same inside. Isn't age a terrible thing?? I really had an awakening when my granddaughter told me, "Grandma, you don't look pretty this morning. (They can keep you on your toes!) " Of course I knew that too. But to hear it from her, it really made me realize that it takes more of a conscience effort to be presentable now. That young vibrant, "don't need makeup person", has gone it's way now. (Or was there really a time when I never needed makeup??)Ha

The main thing for me is to try to do is to remain that "Little Girl" inside. All the make-up in the world isn't going to take those wrinkles away. I must Reflect on the joys of what my present age does bring me. As I Concentrate on some of the positives of what this age group brings me; there is some fun parts of this age too. When you get this age, people don't expect as much from you. They pass it off onto your age. You can get away with more....LOL Get away... I mean such as .... I can put more "FUFU things in my home"(My home doesn't have to be "House Beautiful") ; hang more pictures up of my family, paste cute witty sayings on my mirror or wall, and wear more comfortable clothing such as the elastic waisted jeans and flat shoes. And OH the JOY of having grandchildren. They have filled a void in my life that I never knew was missing. Life has become more comfortable for me in many ways. You can even take a nap once in a while and not feel guilty... And I can say; "I think I'll embrace this moment in time, and enjoy the "Little Girl" things that I haven't had time to do until now." I'm sure many of you can add more to this list of positives.(What can you add to my list??) At every stage of ones life there are great things to live for and enjoy. Life doesn't end at 60. It just changes and those changes can be great!

Hugs,

Jan

Apples and Pinecones.....Using what you have...

My last post; I talked about sharing with you my apple arrangements...

Our insurance man brought us over about 4 boxes of luscious apples. So while John and I are waiting to eat them, and me to get some applesause made from them; I have taken advantage of their beautiful color. Last week while at our local thrift shop, I came across this unique glass vase. I had seen one of them that was posted on Melissa's Blog over at http://www.theinspiredroom.net/. She had placed some lemons in the bottom of one and then went out to pick some unique reeds to stick in the top. I was so excited that I found a large vase like this. The joy was that it was only $2.50 !!! Anyway, I used my apples to place in mine and then put some pinecones in there as well. Things to decorate your home don't have to be expensive. Use what you have..... It's differant, it's you, and it makes for a Unique home.

Also, I captured the flowers on our front porch just before they got drastically frozen by the frost, a few days ago, and brought some of them in the house to enjoy for just a little longer.

This little basket arrangement I had on our front porch table. We only put 2 little plants in the basket and they have bloomed beautifully all summer. Now they can make me happy as I'm cooking away in my kitchen. Hope you can salvage some to bring into your home before they get mutilated by the frost too. Replant them into a unique basket or ??? Get a little more enjoyment out of them for a while. Want to know what the heart in the basket says?

I'll post a close-up on MONDAY.

Hugs,

Jan

Thanksgiving Already!! Canadian, That is...And...Out of "The NORM" Decorations

Purple place Mats
Yellow Squash
Grape Candle Holders

Reminds me of

our KIDS when

bringing things in from

the garden!

Miss those days!

Squashs displayed

in my White Milk Glass

Dishes along with

a few Pinecones

Canadian Thanksgiving that is.... Spent the day cooking and making everything from scratch. Started about 10am and didn't get done until 6:15 when our quests arrived "early".. I had just finished heating the bread in the oven.

Yet so thankful for the things I have to make it!! Went out to the yard and picked leaves and whathave you.... Added a few yellow squash and some candles and a little ornament that has the "Kids" pulling the pumpkins out of the garden. Reminds me of the times all the kids were home and we would bring all in from the Garden. Which reminds me I need to help John 'D-top" the carrots and get them into the basement root cellar. Praise God the carrots did well, in spite of the scabby potatoes :( It's sad to see all the Dahlia's frosted to death. They were so beautiful this year.

Had the two bachelor Neighbors over for dinner. They appreciated it, so they told me, even if it was all VEGAN... LOL My Butternut Squash Cheese Cake, needed a little more Raw sugar, But they didn't seem to notice. Guess anything would do for them.LOL

Back to my table arrangement.... Purple placemats, weeds from the garden, candles and Yellow squash.???That's what you do when it's up to your imagination inststead of going to the store to buy your center piece. Also added some squashes to White Milk Glass bowls and added a few Pinecones to it on my TV cabinet. We are festive with what we have. Was so happy that our Great Insurance guy brought us Apples, Grapes, Squash, from his garden!! And we had alot of yellow Squash from our garden this year. What a blessing!!

Also,

next time, I'lll show you my Apple Arrangements....

Got to do with what you have, I say....

Hope all of you in the US. have a great Thanksgiving....And that my Fellow Canadians had a great time with Family and Friends.

Hugs,

Jan

Summer Hasn't Ended Here Yet, Dahlias in Full Bloom, Petunias Overflowing their Pots...

I decided to start "Fresh and New" Start a new series of Posts. So I'll begin with some pictures of the beautiful flowers that are now blooming in the yard. It's a wonder they are all there after the horrible storm we had here on Thursday night. It took out the electricity from midnight until 8:20 the next evening. That was a hard day, without water too. For the pump couldn't run without the electricity etc. etc. Also, the whole yard looked like a tornado had come through it.

All he Dahlias were completly laying over on their sides and a stack of magazines that John put out in the carport to take to the dump, were strewn all over the yard. My Porch flowers were helter skelter and some blew to no where's end.

They say summer is almost ended. I guess if the kids going back to school ends summer for alot of you, then in most eyes it is gone. But to us.... it's still been very hot here and the fires are still putting smoke in the air here and the garden is still growing and the flowers are still blooming. The highway is still very busy and the helicopter rides that fly over us are still coming. So it still feels like summer here for us.

Hope you are still enjoying some summer fun with your family and friends.

Hugs,

Jan